


killed with kindness

by BlueGirl22



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Gen, Missing Scene, but I got the emotional drive right so I'm counting this as a win, doc title was "keep antiquing in heaven king", edit from 196: yknow what I may literally have been jossed, just some premeditated murder between friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 11:35:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29349801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueGirl22/pseuds/BlueGirl22
Summary: (Spoilers for MAG 194)There's something Annabelle has to do before leaving Upton House.
Relationships: Annabelle Cane & Mikaele Salesa
Comments: 6
Kudos: 36





	killed with kindness

Annabelle has never been cruel.

It may have been her, in a way, job since her teens to sow and harvest distress in as large quantities as possible, but there hasn’t been anything she can do about that, so she can’t find it in herself to feel any particular way about it. If it had been at all up to her, she doesn’t think she would have chosen that as her profession. Maybe teaching instead. And, when the occasional single choice is offered up, she prefers to take the kinder path where possible.

Mikaele likes to eat dinner before sundown. He always means to make it for himself, but inevitably the second he opens the door to the kitchen, Annabelle will step out with a full tray. Today is different, however. He’s watching the peacocks from a window in the dining room when he hears the telltale approaching sounds of jangling porcelain.

He turns to see her prodding open the door with her foot. “Oh, you’re early today.”

She smiles and sets the tray down on the oak table. “I wanted it to be a surprise.”

“Well, it’s much appreciated, as usual.” He sits down at his usual seat and raises an eyebrow as she takes one as well. “You’re dining with me?”

“I put a bit more time into this meal, I’d like to share it properly.”

“Very good, very good.” He nods as she passes him a plate and he fills his glass from the decanter. “It is strange sometimes, having you here but never seeing you. I’m glad of the company.”

“Me too.”

Quietly, he starts in on his meal. Annabelle is good at what she does, Mikaele thinks. He imagines that cooking is an easier process if one can manifest some extra arms every now and then. 

“What have you been getting up to today?” asks Annabelle, breaking the comfortable silence.

He thinks. “Ooh, I opened up my last crate of books. I’ve been getting through them more quickly than I thought I would, even the ones I brought on a whim without checking first. But, I suppose it was inevitable that it would end up like that, nothing ever lasts. Best to let it happen and try to enjoy my books.”

“A man after my own heart,” she says with a smile.

“I suppose.” He takes another forkful of his meal. “This is really quite delicious, Annabelle, is it some sort of occasion?”

“It’s just to say thank you for hosting me. You’ve never put up any resistance, and it’s not like I can pay you rent.”

Another bite. “Well, like with the books, you likely would have stayed whether I resisted or not, so I thought it best to just get along. There’s no point in making things difficult or causing a fuss.”

“Still, you could have made things a lot harder than they had to be. I appreciate that. Thank you.”

“It is no problem.” A sip of his drink, a bite of his food.

She laces her fingers together in front of her face, watching him, and Mikaele realizes she hasn’t touched her plate. “I’ll be leaving tomorrow.”

“Oh, where are you going? Actually, nevermind, it’s not my place to know. If you’re going soon, then I’m glad we’ve had this time today.”

“I’m taking the camera.”

“Ah.” His hands freeze in place where they’re holding his cutlery. “ _Ah._ ”

“Do you see?”

“I do. May I ask if you intend to kill me before you go?”

Her smile is kind. “I already have.”

He glances down to his plate. “Poison?”

She nods. “I told you, this dinner is a thank you. I wouldn’t want to see you suffering out there.”

“That’s good of you.” He puts down his knife and fork with a little _clink._ “Will it hurt?”

“No.” She reaches out and puts her hand over his. “You’ll get tired in a few minutes, and it’ll be quick from there if you let it pull you under. I’ll start gathering my things after.”

“Right.”

“I hope you’re not too upset.”

He looks her in the eye. “I can’t say I am, no. I had hoped to have a few more months before it came to that, yes, but if this is how it’s going to be, then, well--”

“Inevitable?”

He chuckles. “Yes, indeed. Thank you for cooking.”

“Thank you for hosting.”

He yawns and shifts in his chair, smiling wryly. “I don’t know if that’s the poison or my age showing.”

She stands. “Either way, best to lie down, I think.”

He smiles. “Yes, I think so, too.”

In the light of the rising dawn the next morning, Annabelle tosses a match onto a trail of oil leading from the front door to the center of the house. She’s afraid of fire, but she’s also afraid of spiders, and she doesn’t think he’d have wanted his oasis to be corrupted into another site of torture. 

**Author's Note:**

> spent two hours after the patron episode drop loosing my mind about the hilltop road of it all before stopping and going "wait :( rip king :(" and then this happened. come annoy me on [ tumblr ](https://bisexual-evanhansen.tumblr.com/)if ya wanna.


End file.
